MiamiNights - Miami Night Clubs, Nightlife

So I usually get my hair cut at Contesta Rock Hair on the Beach, but shit if I don't hate having to drive over the causeway, find parking and walk (usually hungover) several blocks to Espanola Way. So when an e-mailed popped up in my inbox from salon owner/stylist Danny Dillon asking us to check out his salon, Shampology, in the Design District I thought "Why not?" I needed a haircut, badly. I had neglected to cut my hair for a while because of all the moving around I had recently done and the new job I started. Plus, it was the Design District, just 5 minutes from where I live and that meant I didn't have to drive to the Beach.

The salon is tucked away in one of the many indoor retail spaces far away from street view that if you didn't know it was located there you'd completely miss it. The salon itself is modern looking yet warm enough that it's inviting, but I couldn't help but notice how empty it was. The salon basically consists of Dillon and his assistant, which I don't mind; I hate loud and busy salons. However, I had to ask Dillon if he is able to get any business this way, but he insist that he works mostly on referral service and faithful clientel.

There is no doubt that Dillon is a talented stylist, he worked for several years at Ego Trip Salon in Miami Beach, often considered one of the best, if not the best salon, in Miami. Normally stylist cut my hair in 10 to 15 minutes, quickly rushing me out of the chair for the next client. I hate feeling of being rushed and so it was great to see that Dillon did not rush the appointment, in fact he took the time to talk to me about exactly what I wanted, cut my hair meticulously and even gave me tips on styling and hair maintenance.

So if you are looking for a great one-on-one consultation and cut, definitely check out Shampology and call 305-576-1530 for an appointment. The salon is located at 180 NE 39th St., Design District, with free valet parking across the street at Brosia -- take that South Beach!

Everyone's favorite Design District boutique Rag Trade is for sale. Why? Owner Stephanie Spiegel is moving to Israel to live on an organic farm. Um, yeah. Anywho, its selling for $20,000, but Spiegel would also consider any investors. I know a lot of people who would die if this place ends up closing down, so some please save Rag Trade from extinction.

I leave you with an interview Plum Miami Beach did with Spiegel about two weeks ago. She talks about the store and its vintage goods.

This is too good to be true! Could SoHo Lounge's days be numbered? Someone please tell me this is acuatlly going to happen! There is no denying SoHo boasts an impressive space that with a little remodeling and the right management could help it return to the top of the mainland nightlife scene. 

Cocktails Anyone? @ Domo Japones is a new Thursday night dinner and drink experience. We have seen this before with places like Cielo, O Asian Grill, Grass and Santos. I have only personally done the dinner and party thing once at Santos and that was ages ago. I prefer just arriving when the drinks and music is thumping already, but that's just me. Restaurants wouldn't be doing this kinda thing if there wasn't some kind of ROI involved.

Anyhow, the launch is this Thursday and will be there every Thursday there after. The dinner event is being co-produced by Plum TV, Eater.com, Revolver, Jake Jefferson, Xavier Burt & Rebecca Mandelman. Some familiar names with the "scene" in there so you can expect some tight jeans and colorful hoodies in the mix. DJ Induce will be pouring the musical libations for the evening. You can check out a video of Domo on You Tube by clicking here (Note: The video shows nothing of the venue. They might wanna do something about that).

Domo Japones
4000 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami Design District
305.573.5474

Dammit, my Art Basel curse continues as I couldn't make it out last night because of work. I'm scrambling to finish it today so I have my weekend free. I really wanted to go to Basel today but that definitely isn't going to happen. So let me cry my sorrows away as I tell you what to do tonight.

Sweat Records presents Pink Candy Disko tonight at Studio A. The party will feature live performances by Ariel Pink, Dino Felipe and Awesome New Republic. However the most exciting act is probably Glass Candy, an up-and-coming act from the Italians Do It Better label that seems to be the new "it" band with bloggers. The Deuce Crew as well will be on hand to keep you dancing.

The Italians Do It Better label will also be holding it down at PS14 where label founder Mike Simonetti will be spinning is italo-disco all night long along with resident DJs Matt Cash and Plot. You can get in free if you have a wristband from the Pink Candy Disko event, otherwise it will only cost you $5.

The lovely New York scene-stress and fashionista Roxy Cottontail was here last month partying it up in PS14. Tonight she goes for the upgrade when she will be at Cameo, when the venue jumps on the hipster bandwagon, even if it is for just a night. If you haven't heard, Miami's very own Jake Jefferson (Money Shot, Poplife) produced her new track "Kate Moss", so give it a listen. I presume she'll be performing live, but the flier is unclear. For all those who aren't fans of bed-hair and skinny jeans, fret not, DJ Irie will be there to keeping things Top 40.

At Circa28, Miami legends the Spam All-Stars will be performing live along with Afrobeta, Elastic Bond and Jay Meletiche.

Tonight is also Gen Art's Vanguard official party at the Palm Court, 309 23rd St., Miami Beach. Tickets are $20 at the door, but Gen Art events always have free drinks so it's probably worth it. Oh and there's art of course by artists such as Alex Gross, Dennis Hayes IV, Johnny Robles, Kathie Olivas and more. Local artist Lebo will also be doing a solo exhibition showcasing all new works, so check it out.

Zune hosts tonight photographer Jeremy Kost at Rokbar from 8 to 10 p.m. Afterwards. Purple & Wow Magazine will take over hosting duties with DJs Olympia Le Tan, Paul Sevigny, Stunners International, Leo Fitzpatrick and Lissy Trullie.

Official Art Basel event Concrete Waves continues tonight with DJ Tanton from 6 to 11 p.m. on Collins Park Beach between 21st and 22nd Streets.

And if you are looking to do something more intellectual free tickets are available at Art Basel information desks for the Art Loves Architecture event happening tonight from 8:30 to 10 p.m. at the Colony Theater. The evening will honor Herzog & de Meuron Architects (designers of the new MAM building).

Tonight I will be at the MSTRKRFT event at Pawn Shop which B.A.C. posted about already. I can't wait to get out and do something for a change! Anyway, feel free to comment about any events I might have missed.

So my Art Basel week started out a bust. No, I didn't encounter any crappy artwork -- I wish I had seen any art. Yea, I fell asleep on my couch while switching back between reruns of Curb Your Enthusiasm and Project Runway. If you must know, I'm rooting for Elisa because I have a soft spot for clinically insane people. Anyway, tonight I promise I will go out and do some actually coverage -- wait I think there is a new episode of 30 Rock, so maybe after that. But I won't fall asleep this time, I swear. So gear up, because these are the things to do tonight!

SCOPE Miami Art Fair's opening party is going down tonight at Opium Garden. B.A.C. and myself went last year when they held it right at Roberto Clemente Park and all I've got to say that it was awesome. So I have high expectations this year and hope not to be disappointed. Ray Milian (Off the Radar), DJ Busquelo and Candela All-Stars will provide the soundtrack, while Grey Groose and Grolsch provide the drinks.

Bronques (Last Nights Party) returns to Set after an exhaustive documentation of the debauchery that happens at the Black Lipstick party upstairs every Thursday which culminated into beautifully shot ads for the Opium Group. So get on it and bring out your inner whore for Bronques. His first Art Basel set so far has some bush and a skank. Come on Miami, I know you can do better than that.

Missed Daedelus last night at White Room? Head over to the Upper Eastside Garden, 7244 Biscayne Blvd., where for $10 you can drink until your heart's content courtsey of Generators, WVUM, Dublab, WPS1.org Art Radio. Also along for the ride is High Places, Matt Cash (Loop, Poplife) and Plot.

Wandering around Wynwood? Stop by Circa28 where Mark Leventhal will keep the best area venue thumping until the wee hours.

Right across from Lackner's crack den is the Aquabooty Warehouse, 74 NE 17th St., (which I found myself at once at 6 a.m., long story), and it where the Aquabooty boys will be hosting There Once Was an Octopus from Nantucket... art installations by BASK and Sarah Gail Hutcherson. Opening reception is tonight from 7 p.m. to midnight.

Supermarket Creative and Gorillas bring you the Seyhoun Art Gallery's 10 Cane cocktail reception at Power Studios, 3701 NE 2nd Ave., Design District. The Ruff Club Kids and Johnny the Boy will be spinning during the event which goes from 7 to 11 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres by Bond St. Artists exhibiting include Mostafa Darehbaghi, Hessam Abrishami, Goli Mahalatti, Mohsen Khalili and Ramin Haerizadeh.

Also, tonight Concrete Waves continues at Collins Park Beach, between 21st and 22nd Streets with DJ Keen One and open air cinema and WPS1.org Art Radio broadcasts. This official Art Basel event is open to the public.

And if you must sneak into an Basel event tonight, try to get into the VIP-only Russia Miami 2007, an exhibit of contemporary Russian culture at the Collins Building, 139 NE 39 St., Design District. It will be open to the public the following day, but it's more fun crashing the opening night, no?

Again, feel free to post any other events in the comments that I may have left out! Do it to it people! 

Stuff has been going on already, some of the satellite fair are up and running, champagne has been poppin' at parties and the world's art elite has descended upon the Magic City. What have I done so far? Diddily squat! Alas, today I start what should be an endless week of schmoozing and rubbing elbows (gross) with a who's who of artists, collectors, gallery owners and so forth. So let's get this shit started and here are the places I think are worth a visit tonight:

Art Positions and Concrete Waves opens tonight at Collins Beach Park between 21st and 22nd Streets. Art Loves Music kicks off the festivities with a free concert by Iggy and the Stooges. I keep my mouth shut about the Stooges since last time I said something negative, it brought out the Cuban exile in everyone. Yea, no one is allowed to have an opinion in this city. And yes, this is an official Art Basel sponsored event.

Downtown's (well, Overtown really) newest venue White Room hosts DJ Language and Daedelus. The event, sponsored by Poplife and WVUM 90.5 will feature a pre-screening of the film Fox Home Entertainment's Once, winner of this year's Sundance Festival Audience Award. Stop by an check out the film in its entirety, as patrons get the chance to win free DVDs and promotional material.

Starting today at the newest location of Adidas' Y-3 store, 150 NE 40th St., Design District, you can view a large outdoor video installation featuring the works of John Baldessari, Phyllis Baldino, Michael Bell-Smith, Dan Graham, Ursula Hodel, Joan Jonas, Shigeko Kubota, Takeshi Murata, Lawrence Weiner, and others. The display will run of the store's second floor balcony on an LED video wall from noon to 11 p.m. Cocktail reception will be held on Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m.

A reception for the Avant Gallery, 1680 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach, will take place tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. The opening exhibit is called The Luxe Life featuring works by Piero Fornasetti, Arik Levy, Alessandro Mendini, Verner Panton, Gaetano Pesce, Karim Rashid, Mimmo Rotella and Marcel Wanders.

After trekking through the various openings in Wynwood stop by Circa28 where ArtOfficial will be playing live and kicking off the venue's daily line-up of live acts and DJs stopping making Circa28 the unofficial Wynwood hangout during Art Basel.

Back at the beach, Zing Magazine holds it down at Rokbar with DJs Olympia Le Tan, Ben Brunnermer, Spencer Sweeney and Monzieur Moru. Rokbar's door staff can be... well a bitch, but persistence pays off here. Trusts.

Oh and for those lucky few Vernissage Art Basel Miami Beach is tonight as well. Only way you are getting in is if you are VIP or press (unfortunately they don't qualify MiamiNight's as press).

Feel free to comment if you know of anything else going on tonight as well! 

I'm back bitches on special assignment for Miami Nights. Gasp! I know, I quit unceremoniously back in July, not giving much of a reason. But what was I supposed to do? Giving up the goodies on Biscayne Boulevard just to line Lackner's pockets was getting a little old -- and penicillin wasn't controlling the flare ups anymore. Anyway, I'm hard at work with my own projects that I was hoping would be done by the end of this year, however, it probably won't see the light of day until 2008. So what is a struggling writer to do when the biggest fall event is about to hit Miami? Come groveling back of course!

Yes kiddies, Duran is back, but not really. I will be doing special Art Basel coverage for the site. And if you remember my Art Basel posts last year, including my HI-larious Idiot's Guide to Art Basel, the only thing I love more than free booze and freshly powdered noses are pretentious art events. So watch out for tomorrow, when I will tell you the Art Basel must-dos and better-off-dead events for next week.

Rest assured, you shall be amused! 

The winter acceleration of Miami nightlife continues apace. Tonight is the debut of Circuit @ Grass in the Miami Design District, a new upscale open format party leaning toward hip hop and soul, featuring DJ Epps (from 103.5 The Beat, Shadyville, G-Unit) and friend of the site Push Button Objects. This should be an interesting party so click here for the flyer. I'm not 100% sure if it's actually invite only or not; I'll find out. If it is that would be an interesting experiment. I feel that invite only is the way of the future. Too many broke creeps wandering around.

Grass is located at 28 NE 40th Street in the Miami Design District, downtown.

Tonight is the launch of the first major party at the reopened Grass Lounge. Alfredo U., known for his successful effort at Karu + Y on Saturday, is targeting hip urban professionals with a mix of open format and hiphop. Dress pretty and come out around 11pm; we'll be there taking pictures. Grass Lounge is located at 28 NE 40th Street in the Design District.